Milkrounds 2014/2015

gladiator111 · 08-09-2014 10:13pm #1

Said I'd get this up and running this year so we can all share our hardship over these application forms and see how we get on with offers etc!!

So who's applying to where?

Alfred Borden · 09-09-2014 8:32pm

gladiator111 wrote: »

Said I'd get this up and running this year so we can all share our hardship over these application forms and see how we get on with offers etc!!

So who's applying to where?

Probably be applying to ten or so outside Dublin. The thoughts of all the applications is so off putting. Has any of them opened yet?

LFC1990 · 09-09-2014 10:46pm

Raf32 wrote: »

Probably be applying to ten or so outside Dublin. The thoughts of all the applications is so off putting. Has any of them opened yet?

All of the Big 4 have opened for applications, I plan on applying for most of the top 10, very time consuming though.

gladiator111 · 12-09-2014 2:41pm

Wow, the big4 applications are tough. Any advice on which service line to choose? Mostly interested in Advisory but not sure if I would have a better chance of putting Assurance down first as there's more places available. Any advice?

LFC1990 · 12-09-2014 3:59pm

gladiator111 wrote: »

Wow, the big4 applications are tough. Any advice on which service line to choose? Mostly interested in Advisory but not sure if I would have a better chance of putting Assurance down first as there's more places available. Any advice?

You would definitely stand a better chance if putting down assurance as this is the largest department in the big4, but from what I gather working in this area certainly isn't for everyone, Big 4 applications are tough, I'll be glad to get them submitted.

AtticusFinch86 · 14-09-2014 3:43pm

How acceptable would it be to send in the same (or at least a broadly similar) application to the one I sent in last year? I got called to a couple of interviews last year (Deloitte, GT, etc.) so I was thinking I might send in similar (but updated to reflect my new work and education experience) applications to try and save time. It would allow me to spend time on fixing applications to firms I don't not get a call back from (KPMG, PWc, etc.). I'd be using different email addresses but the education results and answers to the "why have you chosen this service line" would be broadly similar.

Is it likely that they'd find out? I'd be quite conscious of the fact that it might look lazy on my part but I'm quit pressed for time these days so I thought this approach might be the most time efficient

miss no stars · 15-09-2014 7:18pm

Surely your education results and your reasons for choosing audit/tax/consulting are actually the same? Anyway, it's impossible to determine whether it would be noticed. Me? I'd read over it, then I'd have someone read it aloud to me and I'd think about modifying it a bit based on how it reads to you and to someone else. For the sake of saving a couple of minutes here and there on a very long application it seems like a false economy.

AtticusFinch86 · 15-09-2014 7:34pm

Education results might be but the qualitative answers wouldn't as they differ for each firm. Answering those questions consumes by far the majority of an applicants time. It can take well over an hour to prepare a good application for even a medium sized firm.

miss no stars · 15-09-2014 7:43pm

Yeah I know that, but I'm not sure why (if you have answers already done up so you're not starting entirely from scratch) you wouldn't gloss them over a bit, try to improve them. Of course they're long - painfully so - but it's not like there are stacks of them to do. Pick your preferred firms and apply to them. That's like, 4 or 5 applications at most with 6 weeks to do them. Starting from scratch they take the guts of a day to fill out properly, with a few more days to a week (each) researching each of the companies in depth. You're not starting from scratch here, so spending the time making the application the best you possibly can (by touching things up in places) seems like an obviously good move to make.

dashdoll · 07-10-2014 12:51am

Hi guys,

I'm considering applying for some of the Big4 Milk rounds this month and my situation is quite different to most applicants who would be final year students so would appreciate some input / advice.

My background is that I'm 27 (which is obviously a lot older than recent grads). Law degree and Masters in Law, QFA qualified and 2+years legal experience. I'm considering qualifying in tax so this seems like a good starting point to apply.

Anyway, I suppose I'm just interested to hear on what my chances of interviews/success would be for someone with my background bearing in mind my age/educational background and experience and that I don't have any business/accounting/tax experience. I certainly don't fit the average mould for these roles!

Would really appreciate any thoughts/advice!

TheDoctor · 08-10-2014 11:53am

dashdoll wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm considering applying for some of the Big4 Milk rounds this month and my situation is quite different to most applicants who would be final year students so would appreciate some input / advice.

My background is that I'm 27 (which is obviously a lot older than recent grads). Law degree and Masters in Law, QFA qualified and 2+years legal experience. I'm considering qualifying in tax so this seems like a good starting point to apply.

Anyway, I suppose I'm just interested to hear on what my chances of interviews/success would be for someone with my background bearing in mind my age/educational background and experience and that I don't have any business/accounting/tax experience. I certainly don't fit the average mould for these roles!

Would really appreciate any thoughts/advice!

Big4 firms get a wide range of people from different courses and areas of expertise.

In my group on intake I was the only one who had done straight accounting all the way through college, the majority had some business form of degree while we also had like yourself a law graduate. There are plenty of Big4 entrants who like yourself would be starting at the bottom of the ACA exam structure. Some Partners are more in favour of this over those who studied accounting through college as they fell you learn more in the institute exams.

In other groups of the intake we have engineering graduates and also someone who holds a PHD in English! So having a Law background will certainly bring you closer to tax than these people as alot of tax advice will be dealing with revenue legislation.

In terms of your age, that will not be an issue, we just had someone complete their training contract in our group who was 29-32 over the time of the contract, so 27 isn't that old!

Your education and experience of working in a professional environment for 2 years will also stand you in good stead going forward in the application process.

In fact I would see you as a strong candidate, and not being too far removed from the "average mould" as you described above.

Good luck with the applications!

dashdoll · 08-10-2014 9:23pm

TheDoctor wrote: »

Big4 firms get a wide range of people from different courses and areas of expertise.

In my group on intake I was the only one who had done straight accounting all the way through college, the majority had some business form of degree while we also had like yourself a law graduate. There are plenty of Big4 entrants who like yourself would be starting at the bottom of the ACA exam structure. Some Partners are more in favour of this over those who studied accounting through college as they fell you learn more in the institute exams.

In other groups of the intake we have engineering graduates and also someone who holds a PHD in English! So having a Law background will certainly bring you closer to tax than these people as alot of tax advice will be dealing with revenue legislation.

In terms of your age, that will not be an issue, we just had someone complete their training contract in our group who was 29-32 over the time of the contract, so 27 isn't that old!

Your education and experience of working in a professional environment for 2 years will also stand you in good stead going forward in the application process.

In fact I would see you as a strong candidate, and not being too far removed from the "average mould" as you described above.

Good luck with the applications!

Thanks for the info, it is very helpful and much appreciated!

gladiator111 · 11-10-2014 7:30pm

So got a call from EY yesterday inviting me to a quiz night and then a partner lunch.... Anybody know what this means? The lady who called didnt mention an interview! Anybody heard the same or know of anyone that has? Bit daunting!

Anybody started to hear from any other firms?

TheDoctor · 11-10-2014 9:04pm

Back a few years ago when I did the milk rounds the night/lunch went hand in hand with the interview.

You'd do the lunch and a few days later the interview

gladiator111 · 11-10-2014 9:36pm

TheDoctor wrote: »

Back a few years ago when I did the milk rounds the night/lunch went hand in hand with the interview.

You'd do the lunch and a few days later the interview

Thanks a mil.

Have you any tips for it? Do they bring in interviewees from the different service in at different lunch days or what should I expect from the lunch?

khan1 · 13-10-2014 2:15pm

gladiator111 wrote: »

Thanks a mil.

Have you any tips for it? Do they bring in interviewees from the different service in at different lunch days or what should I expect from the lunch?

Hi Gladiator, I got a call as well from EY. The lady mentioned the interviews are starting on 29th October and a lunch on 20th October. She just said the lunch gives us an opportunity to meet partners or other employees working in EY to get the better understanding of the company's culture, etc. Nothing to worry about in my opinion. But did you get the confirmation email from her about the time and everything? She said that she will send me an email but never did. I was wondering should I call her back or wait for her email?

gladiator111 · 13-10-2014 9:53pm

khan1 wrote: »

Hi Gladiator, I got a call as well from EY. The lady mentioned the interviews are starting on 29th October and a lunch on 20th October. She just said the lunch gives us an opportunity to meet partners or other employees working in EY to get the better understanding of the company's culture, etc. Nothing to worry about in my opinion. But did you get the confirmation email from her about the time and everything? She said that she will send me an email but never did. I was wondering should I call her back or wait for her email?

Hi Khan1, got the email today!

Hopefully they will schedule the interviews as soon as possible, need to be able to get out of work!!

What position did u apply for? And have you heard anything about their overtime policy??

errlloyd · 20-10-2014 3:27pm

Just back from that ey lunch. Seems like it was no guarantee of an interview but a very strong indicator you would get one.

I'm applying for performance improvement and the guy I talked to seemed to suggest they interview about 5 people per position

Marcusm · 20-10-2014 9:35pm

The quiz and lunch are effectively situational interviews and can be used to screen a significant number of candidates in a relatively short period of time.

Alfred Borden · 21-10-2014 5:11pm

Did PWC close theirs last week? Thought it was tomorrow for some reason!

MinisterJD · 21-10-2014 7:00pm

I think the applications for consultancy closed last Friday but the application deadline for the rest of the service lines is tomorrow.

Open to correction but there was definitely at least one of "The Big 4" closed applications for consultancy on Friday.

Alfred Borden · 21-10-2014 7:50pm

MinisterJD wrote: »

I think the applications for consultancy closed last Friday but the application deadline for the rest of the service lines is tomorrow.

Open to correction but there was definitely at least one of "The Big 4" closed applications for consultancy on Friday.

No your right, thank you! My application mustnt have saved properly so last minute work now

GoldFour4 · 23-10-2014 6:30pm

Have people heard back from many firms yet? I've only heard back from PWC, have an interview in the first week of November with them for Assurance, was really hoping for Consulting as my masters is that area but I'll see how the interview goes.

Emp.Bubbles · 23-10-2014 7:48pm

I got a call for interview for KPMG and PwC nothing from the others yet...

AtticusFinch86 · 23-10-2014 9:39pm

Haven't heard from anyone yet. It's early days yet. For those of you who got called already, do you mind if I ask what your LC results were? and if you have any previous work exp? I'm just trying to gauge my own chances of getting a call.

GoldFour4 · 23-10-2014 9:52pm

AtticusFinch86 wrote: »

Haven't heard from anyone yet. It's early days yet. For those of you who got called already, do you mind if I ask what your LC results were? and if you have any previous work exp? I'm just trying to gauge my own chances of getting a call.

I've only heard from PWC but I only applied to them and Deloitte from the Big 4. I wouldn't worry much about LC points. PWC have a requirement of 475 but I only have 455 so it obviously wasn't that strict a requirement. My only previous experience was an internship with the finance department of a PLC the previous summer.

Emp.Bubbles · 23-10-2014 9:53pm

AtticusFinch86 wrote: »

Haven't heard from anyone yet. It's early days yet. For those of you who got called already, do you mind if I ask what your LC results were? and if you have any previous work exp? I'm just trying to gauge my own chances of getting a call.

Yeah true its still early days, I got 440. I applied for Tax in both of those. I got an interview for Tax with PwC and Audit with KPMG though. Not much work experience, but I spent 3 months in Summer working for the Revenue Commissioners which might have helped with the Tax application.

AtticusFinch86 · 23-10-2014 9:56pm

Sounds like you both did very well on the LC and have relevant work experience to back up your applications. That would explain the early calls. My LC was shocking but I've some work exp and very strong college grades so hoping for a call soon. Only applied to KPMG and Deloitte from big 4 though, along with a few mid tier firms.

errlloyd · 23-10-2014 10:31pm

Wow calls already, that is fairly impressive efficiency on their part.

I applied for KPMG, Deloitte and EY and nada so far.

McTaggDub · 24-10-2014 8:00am

Hey, joined this to get some advice over next few weeks. Good luck everyone. Had few emails yesterday to say my application was being reviewed.

gladiator111 · 24-10-2014 8:48am

Has anybody heard from consulting or has anyone had an interview scheduled for EY?

Milkrounds 2014/2015

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